Refrigerating apparatus



Sept. 7, 1937. H, HlBBERD 2,092,071

REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed May 2, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. 1 7% rielvflfimbezwd Hm ATTORNEY Sept. 7, 1937. HlBBERD 2,092,071

REFRIGERAT ING APPARATUS Filed May 2, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 'VZINTOR.

E60! 1' cicfl- Hibba'd Patented Sept. 7, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Application May 2, 1934, Serial No. 723,429

19 Claims.

I have invented an improvement in refrigerating apparatus,'and particularly refrigerating apparatus operating with a non-volatile refrigerant which is cooled by vaporization of part of same.

An object of this invention is to provide a refrigerating construction having an evaporator enclosing a continuous chamber in which the vapor of the refrigerant is formed, and from which it is removed, in a manner that permits'efilcient regulation of the system when the load changes. In its preferred embodiment the invention comprises an evaporator and a plurality of devices for evacuating the vapor therefrom by the action of a fluid power medium, such as steam, and carrying the vapor to a condenser in which both the steam and vapor are liquefied.

In apparatus of this kind including an evaporator and several steam ejectors to remove the vapor of the refrigerant for condensation, special provision is necessary for the purpose of reducing the amount of steam when the load drops. Sometimes automatic regulators are used, but the end in view can also be obtained by cutting out one or more ejectors by means of valves which shut off the communication of the ejectors with the evaporator, or by the use-of a valve-controlled sectional condenser, or by the division of the evaporator into several independent sections or compartments. Valves, however, may prove objectionable, because they frequently get out of order, and sometimes an evaporator with compartments in multiple "is not desired. In the practice of my invention the evaporator contains only one chamber or compartment, and the multiple ejectors are so related to this chamber that no valves to disconnect the ejectors from the evaporator and no sectional condenser with valves are needed. To govern the system and adjust the amount of steam to the load, all thatone has to do is to manipulate the steam supply valves to increase or decrease the number of ejectors that are in operation.

Other objects and advantages of the invention are set forth in the ensuing specification and the novel features of the apparatus are defined in the appended claims. But the disclosure herein is, of course, explanatory only and many alterations in detail may be made without departing from the principle of the, invention or exceeding the spirit, and scope thereof.

On the drawings Figure 1 is a top plan of a refrigerating apparatus according tothis invention.

Figure 2 is a transverse section thereof on the line 2-2 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a. similar view showing a different working condition.

Figure 4 is a view of a detail showing how the control devices are actuated; and

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic view of a modifi- 5 cation.

The numeral I indicates an evaporator to which a relatively non-volatile liquid refrigerant, such as water, is admitted. The pressure in the evaporator will be low enough to permit a part of the water to be vaporized at once to cool the remainder. This vapor is removed from the evaporator by evacuating devices 2 in the shape of steam ejectors; or steam jet boosters or thermo-compressors, as they are also called. The water to be cooled is delivered to the evaporator through a pipe 3 and after being chilled therein it is discharged through an outlet pipe 4. The steam for the ejector members 2 is obtained from a supply line 5 connected to the ejectors bybranch pipe 6, andin each of these branch pipes is a shut-off valve 1. As will appear later, the ejectors or evacuators are used all at once or less than all in operation, and whenever, upon reduction in load, one or more of the ejectors is to be cut out, nothing more has to be done than to manipulate one or more of the valves 1 to closed position. In this way, the apparatus can be allowed to operate at reduced load when necessary.

The interior of the evaporated forms a single continuous chamber and the space in which the vaporization occurs is undivided and extends from end to end as shown at 8. This space is formed by one side [4 of the evaporator and a longitudinal partition 9, which is joined to the side mentioned by a horizontal partition or false bottom l0. Between the partition 9 and the other side of'the evaporator is a space or well H to which the pipe 3 leads. When one 40 or more of the ejectors isin operation, the vacuum in the evaporator I will be high enough to permit vaporization as above stated, and the incoming water will easily fill the well ll up to the top of the partition 9 so that it flows over the top edge of this partition and some of it will be vaporized on its way to the bottom ID.

The evacuator members 2 are mounted on the top of the evaporator, which is of course closed, and are disposed along the side opposite the 60 well II. For this purpose the evaporator I is provided with a number of bays l2 along the side 14, and each of these bays contains a transverse partition or baflle, l3 which extends downward from the top but terminates above the bottom of the bay containing it. Adjacent each bay the side H has an opening l near the top of the evaporator, so that the vapor in-the evaporator I can pass out by flowing through these openings l5 down below the baffle plates I3 and upward again and out through the ejectors 2.

So long as the ejector at the top of any of these bays is working, the interior of the bay must be kept open, but when any ,ejector is cut out, it 0 is necessary to obstruct the interior thereof to prevent vapor from the condenser, not shown herein, having only one chamber to which the ejectors deliver, from flowing back into the evaporator and from lowering the vacuum therein, because the pressure in the condenser is higher than in the evaporator. I therefore have connections at the bottom of each bay with the water supply pipe 3, said connections including short conduits 6 and H. The conduits i6 lead directly to the bottom of the space 8 and the short pipes l1 run at an angle from the pipes I6 into the bottom of the bays l2. At the juncture of each two pipes l6 and I1 is a rotary valve 3. When all the ejectors are operating, these valves will connect the bottom of the bays to the bottom of the space 8 asin Figure 2 but when any ejector is cut 1 out, the valve associated therewith will be turned 90 to admit water from the pipe 3 into the bay under this ejector, between the evaporator and the ejector as shown in Figure 3. To this end the interior of each bay, with its baflie 'plate |3, ,constitutes a U-shaped trap or passage. When the valve I8 is turned to admit water to the bottom of any of these bays it will rise up to the opening IS on one side of the baflie plate and spill over into the space 8, the same as the water in the well Ilspills over the partition 9, and so the vaporization continues, with evacuation by the remaining ejectors; but on the other side of the baflie plate l3 the condenser pressure will force down the level of the water to almost the lower edge of the baflle plate. The vapors in the condenser, however, cannot pass back into the evaporator so long as the level of the water in the 5 bay is higher than the lower edge of the partition I 3 on either side thereof.

Each valve It! at the junction between two pipes l6 and I! has an outside arm l9 connected by a member 20 to a flexible portion 2| of a chamber 22. See Figure 4. This chamber is connected in each instance by a pipe 23 to the nozzle steam chest 24 of one of the ejectors 2. Each portion or wall 2| is so set that it holds the valve 8 in position to admit water to the associated bay 2 when the ejector thereof is not -working, the steam being turned off at the valve 1. When, however, any ejector is working, there is a higher pressure in its nozzle steam chest 24, and this higher pressure takes effect in the associated chamber 22 to force the portion 2| outward and throw the valve so that no water can pass through the pipes l6 and I! into the bay l2, and the valve 8 will then as shown in Figure 2 drain the bay into the space 8. As soon as any ejector is cut out, the 5 associated valve 8 will move to its proper position to enable water to flow into the bay l2. A spring may also be utilized in conjunction with each portion 2| to hold it, when the particular ejector is not working, in position to cause the valve connected thereto to occupy the position shown in F gu e 3.

Hence, in operation as long as it is necessary to use all the ejectors, the bays will be kept open so that the maximum amount of water vapor can be 7 5 removed from the evaporator and carried to the water or other refrigerating agent admitted to the the evaporator Another extension 3b from the and. the refrigerant delivery pipe are omitted for -to divide the space 8 into multiple compartcondenser. At reduced load,. however, one or more of the ejectors can be stopped and then the bays of these ejectors will form a seal between the evaporator and the condenser. The operation of the apparatus with the remaining ejectors will then proceed without interference and a smaller amount of water vapor will be evacuated so that the cooling effect is lessened. The chambers 22 can be disposed under the bays l2, with the connecting pipes 23. running upward to the nozzle chests 24,

The partition 9 and inside bottom I can be omitted so as to dispense with the well See Figure 5/ The supply pipe 3 is then extended into the evaporator as shown at 3a, in Figure 5, this extension running lengthwise along the top and having a plurality of spray openings so that the incoming water can be sprinkled directlyinto supply pipe 3 leads to the pipes I6. The evaporater, as it appears in Figure 5, is to be understood as shown in vertical longitudinal section along a plane just within the wall l4 and viewed from the left with reference to Figure 1. Except for the omission of the partition 9 and inside bottom I, the construction in Figure 5 of course is the same as that shown inFigures 1, 2 and 3.; but the bays |2 are not illustrated in Figure 5 because they are on the far side of the evaporator and the ejectors the sake of clearness.

The above described construction can be utilized to produce refrigeration directly by the agency of the chilled water flowing out through the conduit 4 to the place where the refrigerating effect is desired. Also the water chilled in the evaporator I can be advantageously employed to lower the temperature of another refrigerant if pipes are placed in the evaporator, to extend lengthwise thereof in positionto be cooled by water vapor as it is formed by the water dischargedfrom the well II or from the spray pipe 311. It is not believed necessary to illustrate such cooling pipes herein. They can be of .any suitable type and arrangement, entering the evaporator at one end-and leaving it at the other, and the refrigerant which is cooled in these pipes can be conducted to any point to I serve the intended purpose. It is apparent that such pipes containing another refrigerant in the evaporator I could not be employed if the bays l2 and the plates l3 were omitted and if transverse partitions were placedin the evaporator ments, each having its own ejector 2, with such ejectors discharging into a single chambered condenser. Such compartments would have to be entirely separate from one another and when one is put out of operation at part load, the pipes in the other compartments would not be cooled enough. Vapors from the condenser in this case, unless special valves were present, would work back and come into contact with the pipes in the compartment not. working, and these vapors would be sufliciently hot to interfere with the cooling of said pipes. The presence of the bays |2 prevents this, although the condenser has but one chamber and no valves between the evaporator and the ej ctors are present.

My invention tl rus solves the problem of producing refrigeration in a system of this sort with an evaporator and condenser having a single undivided chamber each, so that th heat of vaporization in the evaporator can be extracted from the water flowing out through the pipe 4, or from another refrigerant in pipes on the inside of the evaporator as described; and this result is produced without building the evaporator I to contain separate chambers, without a valved sectional condenser and without the need of a large valve between each ejector and the evaporator I.

I claim:

1. Refrigerating apparatus comprising an evaporator to cool a refrigerant therein, evacuator members connected to the evaporator, means to supply each member with energizing medium and means associated with each member and dependent upon the cessation of said medium to establish a liquid seal between a member and the evaporator when said member is not operating.

2. The combination of an evaporator for cooling a refrigerant therein, an evacuator member connected to said evaporator, means to supply energizing medium to said member and means dependent upon the cessation of the flow of said 55 medium to said member to establish a liquid seal between the member and the evaporator when said member is out of operation.

3. The combination of an evaporator for cooling a refrigerant therein, an evacuator member connected to the evaporator and means to cut off communication between the member and the evaporator, said means comprising a trap passage and connections for an agent to void or close said passage.

4. The combination of an evaporator for cooling a refrigerant therein, an evacuator member, the evaporator having a trap passage, one end of which communicates with the inside of the evaporator and the other end with said member,

40 and connections comprising a valve to give passage to an agent for voiding or closing said passage.

5. The combination of an evaporator, a plurality of evacuator members for the evaporator,

5 U-shaped passages connecting each of said members to the inside of said evaporator, connections to control an agent for selectively closing said passages or voiding same into said evaporator, and valves means to control said 50 connections.

6. The combination of an evaporator having a plurality of projecting bays, each of said bays having a depending bafiie plate terminating short of the bottom, forming a U-shaped passage com- 55 municating at one end with the interior of the evaporator, an evacuator member at each bay, and communicating with the other end of said passage, connections to control an agent for closingeach passage or voiding same into the 60 evaporator, and valve means for controlling said 1 connections.

'7. The combination of an evaporator having a plurality of projecting bays, each with a de- 5 pending partition therein terminating short of the bottom and forming a U-shaped passage communicating with the inside of the evaporator at one end, an evacuator member at each bay and communicating with the other end of 70 the U-shaped passage therein, means to supply power medium for operating the evacuator members, connections to control an agent for closing said passages, or voiding same into the evaporator, valve means to control said connections D 75 and means connected to each valve and to the ator member connected to associated member to be controlled by said power medium to actuate the valve.

8. Refrigerating apparatus comprising an evaporator to cool a refrigerant therein, an ejector connected to evacuate the evaporator, means for supplying power fluid to the ejector, means supplied with said power fluid simultaneously with the ejector, and means actuated by the last said means to established communication between the evaporator and the ejector when said supply of power fluid is effected and to interrupt said communication when said supply of power fluid ceases.

9. The combination of an evaporator for cooling a refrigerant therein, an evacuator member connected to the evaporator through a trap passage, connections for an agent to close or void said passage, a valve in said connections, and means connected to the valve and to said member to cause actuation of the valve.

10. Refrigerating apparatus comprising an evaporator to cool a refrigerant therein, an evacuator member connected to the evaporator, means to supply said member with energizing medium and means dependent upon the cessation of said medium for controlling a liquid agent by which communication between the evaporator and the evacuator can be established or interrupted.

11. Refrigerating apparatus comprising an evaporator to cool a refrigerant therein, an evacuator member connected to the evaporator, means to supply said member with energizing medium and means dependent upon the cessation of said medium and comprising a valve to give passage to a liquid agent to cut off said member from said evaporator.

12. Refrigerating apparatus comprising an evaporator to cool a refrigerant therein, an evacuator member connected to said evaporator, means for supplying said member with energizing medium and means dependent upon the cessation of said medium and comprising a valve controlled by said apparatus to give passage to a liquid agent to interrupt communication between said evaporator and said member when the supply of said power fluid is stopped.

13. Refrigerating apparatus comprising an evaporator to cool a refrigerant therein, an evacuthe evaporator, and means associated with the evaporator to receive 'and retain a fluid agent in position toobstruct the entrance to the evacuator when the latter is.

inoperative.

14. Refrigerating apparatus comprising an evaporator to cool a refrigerant therein, an evacuator member connected to the evaporator, means associated with the evaporator to receive andretain a fluid agent in position entrance to the evacuator when the latter is in operative, and means dependent upon the evacuator to control said agent. I

15. An evaporator for cooling a liquid refrigerant, an evacuator connected thereto to produce a vacuum therein, and means comprising a wellto form a liquid seal at the inlet of the evacuator when the same is inoperative.

16. An evaporator for cooling a liquid refrigerant, an evacuator connected thereto to produce a vacuum therein, and means to form a liquid seal at the inlet of the evacuator when the same is inoperative, said means comprising a U-shaped passage connected with said inlet.

1'7. An evaporator for cooling a liquid refrigerant, an evacuator connected thereto to proto obstruct the means to form a liquid liquid from the inlet simultaneously with a cessation in the supply of power fluid to the ejector.

19. Refrigerating apparatus comprising an evaporator for a liquid, one or more evacuators for removing vapor from the evaporator, inlet means for admitting the liquid to the evaporator, means for controlling the number of evacuators in operation, means for diverting a part of the inactive, and means receiving the diverted liquid to eflect a seal between the evaporator and the inactive evacuator.

FREDERICK H. HIBBERD.

means when an evacuator is 

